"Whenever an Academy boy gets a chance in the first team, it’s motivation for us all." - Coventry City’s Cian Harries

10 May 2016

Laura Hunter

U21s duo Cian Harries and Dion Kelly-Evans make their Sky Blue debut on the final day of the 2015/16 season...

19-year old Cian Harries made his first full senior team debut in the 2-0 win over Oldham Athletic on Sunday.

Harries was a last minute replacement for the injured Aaron Martin and gave a performance worthy of a victory and a clean sheet. The U19 Welsh international has been involved in a few of the matchday squads across the season, but made his full debut and delivered his first 90-minutes for Mowbray's first team against the Owls.

Harries finished the season strongly with City’s U21s, boasting a record of unbeaten since early February. The youngster was delighted to have been rewarded for his form with a first team start: “Really happy to make my full first debut; to start, win and get a clean sheet was a great way to end the season,” Cian said.

“Aaron Martin wasn’t feeling 100% and told me to be prepared to play, I only found out I was starting an hour and a half prior to kick-off. Claps [Jamie Clapham] told me Aaron wasn’t fit and that I’d be playing in his place. I was buzzing.

“When we were doing the handshakes before the game I got a few butterflies, but I don’t tend to get nervous. Once the game had started, Bigi rolled it back to me within the first five seconds so that calmed me.”

Harries made his first Sky Blue appearance alongside fellow Academy graduate George Thomas, with U21s captain Dion Kelly-Evans also gaining his first cap when he joined the action at half-time.

Harries added: “The thing that has been stressed to me the most has been improving my defending, which I think has developed over the past few months. My heading has come along nicely, I feel stronger in the gym and around the pitch, to get a clean sheet as well - I couldn’t have asked for a better debut.

“Whenever an Academy boy gets a chance in the first team, it’s motivation for us all. Everyone loves it. Dion has been here since he was six. Buzzing to see what we’ve all been working hard toward come off. We all want each other to be successful.”